A local veterinarian is warning the public of the possible presence of heartworm in the community.

Dr. Maggie Brown-Bury explains that the condition is exactly what it sounds like—a worm that lives in the heart of your dog.

She says heartworm is not typically a condition that vets tend to worry about in this province due to our climate, noting that it is more of an issue in the southern areas of Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba.

The issue now, Brown-Bury says, is that a lot of people are adopting dogs from Texas, which has such a high prevalence of heartworm that dogs are assumed to have it unless proven otherwise.

Because it is so common in that state, it isn’t seen as such a big issue, but she says they don’t realize that those dogs are being adopted in areas where people don’t know much about it.

Brown-Bury says at first a dog with heartworm may seem perfectly healthy, but as the worms grow they can cause obstructions resulting in severe heart failure.

She says test results should be shown on an animal’s medical records when adopted—if they were old enough to be tested, and it is important to follow up with a veterinarian.

She says the disease is spready through mosquitos so any dog with heartworm could be putting other dogs at risk.